ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · scale · last · sharp · branch · lean · mark · bank

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. scale — size or range
  4. last — final
  5. scale — in music
  6. branch — a division
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bank — for money
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bank — for money
  12. mark — a trace
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. last — to go on
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mark — a grade
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. last — finally
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. sharp — clever

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com